Cash indicator and register



No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

C. E. LORD. CASH INDICATOR AND REGISTER.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2, C. E. LORD.

CASH INDICATOR AND REGISTER. No. 454,972. Patented June 30,1891.

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C. E. LORD. CASH INDICATOR AND REGISTER.

No. 454,972. Patented June 30, 1891.

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4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

O. E. LORD.

- CASH INDICATOR AND REGISTER.

(No Model.)

No. 454,972. Patented June 80,1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES EDGAR LORD, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONALCASH REGISTER COMPANY, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

CASH INDICATOR AND REGISTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 454,972, dated June 30,1891.

Application filed August 3, 1888. Serial No. 281,878. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, CHARLES EDGAR LORD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, in the State of Massachusetts, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Cash Registers and Indicators, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings.

My improvement relates to that class of cash registers and indicatorswhich are provided with a registering mechanism actuated by a series ofoperating-keys, which usually eo-operate with a series ofindicating-tablets to both indicate and registerthe value of each key asit is operated. In such machines it is desirable, for reasons well knownto those familiar with the use of the machines, to provide means forpreventing the resetting of a key to its normal position after it hasbeen partially operated but has not completed its stroke, and onefeature of my invention relates to the provision of novel means for thispurpose, while another feature relates to the provision of means forlooking all the unoperated keys upon the partial operation of a key andholding them locked until such key has completed its stroke, all as willbe hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 is an end elevation of acash-register, showing my improvements as applied to a well-known formof machine. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same with portions of themachine broken away. Fig. is a sectional side elevation taken throughthe line a a of Fig. 2, and looking toward the left-hand side of themachine. Fig. 4 is a detail view of two operating-keys, one ofthekey-locks, and adjacent parts of the machine. Fig. 5 is a viewcorresponding to Fig. ehbut with the parts in a different position. Fig.6 is a sectional side elevation of a part of the machine, taken throughthe line b b of Fig. 2 and looking toward the left of the machine. Figs.7, 8, and 9 are detail views of modified forms of keylocks with theadjacent parts of the machine.

The same letters of reference are used to indicate identical parts inall the figures.

Inasmuch as I have illustrated myimprovements as applied to a well-knownform of machine, the general construction of such machine may be brieflydescribed as follows: The registering and indicating mechanisms aresupported in a proper frame-work and are designed to be inclosed in theusual case or cabinet, (not shown,) through the front of which the frontends of the keys project and in the upper rear portion of which is aglass-covered reading-opening for the exposure of theindicating-tablets. The operating-keys 1 are pivoted on the shaft 6,extending across the front portion of the machine. Their front ends areprovided with numbered finger-buttons, while their rear ends, resting innormal position on the eross-piece 11 of the frame-work, play up anddown in slots in a guide-plate 10 and carry vertically-guidedtablet-rods 4., provided at their upper ends with the numberedindicating-tablets 5 and surrounded by the usual coiled resettingsprings 9. The tablet-rods are provided with shoulders 22, which areengaged by the pivoted wing 8, supported in bearings 23 and providedwith an upward extension 17, carrying the gong-hammer 20, arranged tostrike the gong 25 upon the actuation of the wing by the followingmeans: Extending across and resting upon the keys in rear oftheirpivotal support is the crossbar 15, hung byside arms 7 upon theshaft 6. Iivoted, as at 12, to the frame of the machine is a bell-crankarm, whose lower forwardly-extending portion 16 is connected by a slotand pin to the bar 15 or to one of its side arms '7, and whose upwardand rearwardly extending portion 20 carries a weighted tripping-dog 19,pivoted as at 13, and whose rearward]y-extending nose engages a wiperblock 27 upon the upward extension 17 of the wing, as shown in Fig. 6.Springs 18 and 2% press the wing 8 and its extension 17 inward andyieldingly hold them in normal position. It results from thisconstruction that when a front end of a key is depressed the cross-bar15 will be lifted, the bell-crank arm rocked, and its upwardly-extendingportion 20 thrown backward, the dog 19 will engage the wiper-block 27 onthe extension 17 of the wing S and push said extension and wing backwardagainst the resist ance of their springs until the shoulder 22 of theoperated tablet-rod having passed above the wing the nose of the dog 19slips past the wiper-block 27, the extension 17 and the wing S arereleased and thrown back to their normal position, the hammer 26striking the gong 25 and the wing 8 engaging the shoulder of theelevated tablet-rod to hold its tablet exposed to view, all in the usualmanner and as will be readily understood. hen the operated key isreleased, it resets itself, the bar 15 and bell-crank arm resume theirnormal position, and the nose of the dog 19 tlips back over thewiper-block 27 ready for another operation. The registering 1nechanismin this instance consists of two banks of individual registering-wheels2 and 14, the wheels of the lower bank being engaged by actuating-dogs3, pivoted to the keys 1, each arranged to turn its corresponding wheelone number upon each full operation of its key. The wheels of the upperbank are each turned one number at each complete revolution of itscorresponding wheel in the lower bank in the usual manner.

As a means of preventing the resetting of a key to normal position afterit has been partially but not fully operated, I provide anautomatically-operated key-arrester for each key, so arranged that whenthe key is partially operated it will engage an d support the key in itspartially-operated position, should it be released before it has beenfully operated, and upon the full operation of the key it will beautomatically disengaged therefrom to permit the key to be reset to itsnormal position, and for the further purpose of preventing the operationof a second key after a first has been partially but not fully operatedI so construct and arrange these keyarresters that when one key ispartially operated its arrester will move into engagement with it toprevent its being reset until fully operated, while the key-arresters ofall the unoperated keys will so engage their respective keys as toprevent the operation of any of them until released by the fulloperation of the first-operated key. In this manner the same set ofdevices are made to act both as key-arresters to prevent the resettingof a partially-operated key and as key-locks to lock the unoperated keysfrom operation.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, these key arresting andlocking devices consist of pendent metal arms 28, having serrations 30on their inner sides and pivoted on a shaft 29, extending across theframe of the machine above and slightly in rear of the rear ends of thekeys. They are arranged one in line with each key, their inner loweredges hanging normally just above the horizontal line of the upper sidesof the rear ends of the keys and either slightly in rear of the verticalline of their ends or vertically above the extreme tips of their endswhen beveled, as shown in the drawings. When constructed and arranged asshown in Figs. 3, 4-, and 5 they assume this normal position by theirown gravity, being so shaped and pivoted that unless prevented they willby their own gravity swing inward and rest over the rear ends of thekeys. They are prevented from normally assuming this extreme inwardposition by a horizontal bar 32, which extends across and bears againstthe rear sides of their upper extensions 31., above the pivotal shaft29. This bar 32 holds these upper ends tilted slightly inward and thelower ends of the arms 28 slightly outward from the position theirgravity would. otherwise cause them to assume, as shown in Fig. 3, andmaintains them in this normal position, except when a key is operated,at which time the bar 32, in the manner hereinafter described, is movedslightly rearward, and the arms 28 are thereby permitted to swing inwardto the position their gravity causes them to assume over the ends of theunoperated keys, as shown in Fig. t. The bar 32, which I call theresetting-bar, may be supported and actuated in any suitable manner toreset the key-arresters and yieldingly hold them in their normalposition. In the present instance, owing to the construction and mode ofoperation of the particular ma chine to which I have illustrated myinvention as being applied, I find it convenient to secure it to thetablet-supporting wing 8, so that it is moved back and forth by theactuation of said wing, the upper extensions 31 of the arms 28 extendingthrough and having limited play in the open space between the bar andthe rear side of the wing. The rear ends of the keys are preferably cutaway and beveled to a point, as shown, to facilitate their engagementwith the serrations 30 on the inner sides of the arms 28.

It results from this construction and arrangement that, assuming themachine to be in the position of rest shown in Fig. 3, if the front endof a key is depressed the operation of the parts will be as follows: Therear end of the key in rising will pass above thelower inner edge of itscorresponding arm 28, either clearing the same or by its beveled endpushing said arm backward slightly until it passes. At the same time thecrossbar 15 is lifted by the rising of the key, the arm 20 of thebellerank thrown backward, its dog 19 engages the wiper-block 27 on thewing-extension 17, and the wing 8 is moved backward, carrying with itthe bar 32, and allowing the arms 28 to swing inward by their owngravity, the serrations of the one corresponding to the operated keyengaging the rear end of that key, and the lower ends of all the othersassuming a position immediately over the rear ends of theircorresponding keys, thereby effectually locking the latter fromoperation. This position of the parts is shown in Fig. 4, where the arms28 are all in exact line with each other, so that only the nearest oneis shown, and that is engaged by its serrations with thepartially-operated key. As this key continues to rise, its rear endslips over the serrations in the arm 28, and if released atany point IIObefore full operation it will be engaged and supported at that point bysaid serrations. Upon reaching its full operation, however, the dog 19on the arm 20 of the bell-crank will have slipped past the wiper-block27 on the wing extension 27 and the wing will be reset, engaging theshoulder of the elevated tabletrod and causing the hammer 26 to strikethe gong 2'. The bar 32, moving inward and being reset with the wing,comes into engagement with the upper extensions 31 of the arms 28 andthrows all of the latter back to the po sition shown in Fig. 3, therebyreleasing the operated key and unlocking all the unoperated ones. lVhileit is desirable to so construet and arrange the arms 28 that they willact both as key-arresters for partially-operated keys and as key-locksforthe unopera'ted keys, yet these two functions of the arms aredistinct, and they may be advantageously employed for either purposeindependently of the other. Thus the serrations might be left off theinner sides of the arms, so that they would act only as locks for theunoperated keys, or when the arms are serrated to act as arresters forpartially-operated keys, their lower ends might be so beveled or roundedas not to act as looks, as shown, for instance, by the dotted line 34 inFig. 4. Again, instead of so shaping and pivoting the arms 28, that theytend to swing in over the rear ends of the keys by their own gravity,springs may be employed for pushing them iuward, as shown in Figs. 7, 8,and f).

Inasmuch as the registering and indicating mechanisms of machines ofthis class are usually inclosed in alocked case or cabinet, from whichproject only the front ends of the keys bearing the numberedfinger-buttons, itresults from the above-described construction andoperation of myimprovements that when any key is partially operated itis not only impossible to reset it without firstoperating it to its fullextent, but until it is so operated all the other keys, and thereby theentire machine, are locked from operation.

I wish it understood that the machine I have shown and described hasbeen selected by me for this purpose merely because it is of a wellknowntype and affords a convenient means of showing the application of myimprovements, and such being the case the means which I have illustratedfor actuating the key arresting and locking devices are only incidentalto the particular construction of this machine, and such other suitablemeans may be employed for this purpose as maybe found convenient in thedifferent machines to which my improvement may be applied. Nor do I wishto be limited to the particular form or arrangement of the key-arrestingand looking devices, for they may be largely varied without changing thegeneral mode of operation of said devices or the results accomplishedthereby.

While I have shown my improvements as applied to a machine whoseregistering mechanism consists of a series of individualregistering-wheels, one for each key, and each arranged to be turned onenumber by a full operation of its key, they may be employed to perhapseven greater advantage in machines having a registering-wheel common toand actuated by each of a series of keys, for in such machines the wheelis actuated to different degrees by keys of different values, and it isabsolutely essential to an accurate registration that each key beoperated to its full extent before being reset.

I am aware that it is not entirely new in cash registers and indicatorsto employ keyarresting devices for preventing the resetting of apartially-ope'rated key, but those heretoforein use have been radicallydifferent from mine both in construction and mode of operation, and sofar as the key-locking feature of my invention is oncerned, I believe Iam the first to produce a locking device operating, as mine does, uponthe partial operation of a key to engage all the unoperated keys andlock them from operation until the first-mentioned key has been fullyoperated, and to thereupon unlock and release said keys.

One form of key-arrester heretofore in use consisted of alaterally-movable grid of vertical rack-bars supported at the rear ofthe machine, through which grid the rear ends of the keys projected, andwhich moved sidewise upon the lifting of the rear end of akey, so thatone of its rack-bars engaged the side of the key and supported it inpartially-operated position, if released; but the key-arrester I haveshown and described, which is pivoted on an transversely of the keys andmoves longitudinally thereof, is simpler and more effieient than thatabove referred to.

In another pending application, filed May 7, 1889, Serial No. 309,888, Ihave illustrated and described a different embodiment of my invention,in which is employed a horizontal key-arresting and key-locking bar ofso bstantially the same shape in cross-section as the key-locks andkey-arresters of my presentapplication, and arranged to operate in asimilar manner.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim- 1. In a cash registerand indicator, the combination, with the operating-keys, of a keylockarranged upon the partial operation of a key to lock the unoperated keysand hold them from operation until the partially-operated key hascompleted its stroke and to then unlock and release said keys,substantially as and for the purpose described.

'2. In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with theoperating-keys, of a keylock pivoted near the rear ends of the keys andarranged when a key is partially operated to lock the unoperated keysand hold them from operation until the partially-oper- ICO ated key hascompleted its stroke and to then unlock and release said keys,substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with a series ofpivoted operatingkeys, of a key-lock arranged upon the partial operationof a key to lock the unoperated keys and prevent their operation untilafter the partially-operated key has completed its stroke and to thenunlock and release said keys, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

5 In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with a'series ofpivoted operatingkeys, of a key-lock pivoted at the rear of the machineand arranged when a key is partially operated to move into engagementwith and lock the unoperated keys and after the full operation of thekey to unlock and release said unoperated keys, substantially as and forthe purpose described.

5. In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with theoperating-keys, of a keylock which permits the simultaneous operation oftwo or more keys, but arranged upon the partial operation of a key tolock the unoperated keys and hold them from operation until thepartially-operated key has completed its stroke and to then unlock andrelease said keys, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with a series ofpivoted operatingkeys, of a key-lock which permits the simultaneousoperation of two or more keys, but arranged upon the partial operationof a key to lock the unoperated keys and hold them from operation untilthe partially-operated key has completed its stroke, substantially asand for the purpose described.

7. In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with theoperating-keys, of a series of key-locks, one for each key, and arrangedwhen a key is partially operated to lock the unoperated keys until thepartially-operated key has completed its stroke and to then unlock andrelease said keys, substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with theoperating-keys, of a series of key-locks, one for each key, pivoted atthe rear of the machine and arranged when a key is partially operated tomove over the rear ends of the unoperated keys and lock them fromoperation until the partially-operated key has completed its stroke andto then unlock and release said keys, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

9. In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with a series ofpivoted operatingkeys, of a series of key-locks pivoted on a shat t atthe rear of the machine and arranged when a key is partially operated tomove over the ends of the unoperated keys and lock them from operationuntil the partially-operated key has completed its stroke and to thenunlock and release said keys, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

10. In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with theoperating-keys, of the arms 28, pivoted at the rear of the machine on anaxis extending transversely of the keys and arranged when a key ispartially operated to swing inward over the ends of the unoperated keysto lock the same from operation and after the full operation'of such keyto be moved back to their normal position to release the unoperatedkeys, substantially as and for the purpose described.

11. In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with anoperating-key, of akeyarresting arm pivoted near the rear end of saidkey and arranged when the key is partially operated to swing inwardlongitudinally of said key toward its rear end and engage therewith tosupport the key in its partiallyoperated position, it released, and tobe disengaged therefrom when the key has been fully operated,substantially as and for the purpose described.

12. In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with anoperating-key, of a keyarresting arm pivoted near the rear end of thekey 011 an axis extending transversely thereof and provided on its innerface with serrations, and arranged when the key is partially operated toswing inward toward its rear end and engage the serrations therewith tosupport the key in its partially-operated position, if released, andupon the full operation of the key to move out of engagement therewithto permit it to be reset, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

13. In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with anoperating-key, of -a keyarrestin g arm pivoted near the rear end of saidkey on an axis extending transversely thereof and arranged when free toswing on its pivot to move inward over the end of said key, a device forholding it normally outward from over the key, and means for releasingit upon the partial operation of the key to permit it to swing inwardand engage the key, substantially as and for the purpose described.

14:. In a cash register and indicator the coinbination,with theoperating-keys, of a series of arms, one for each key, pivoted at therear of the machine and arranged, when free, to swing on their pivots tomove inward over the rear ends of the keys, a bar for normally holdingthem outward from over the keys, and means for moving said bar upon thepartial operation of a key to permit the arms to swing inward over theends of the keys, substantially as and for the purpose described.

15. In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with theoperating-keys, of the arms 28, pivoted at the rear side of the machinein line with said keys and arranged to swing inward over their rearends, the bar 32 for holding said arms outward in normal position, andmechanism interposed between IIO IIS

said bar and the operating-keys, whereby upon partially operating a keythe bar 32 is moved to permit the arms 28 to swing inward over the endsof the keys and upon fully operating said key the bar 32 is moved backto return arms 28 to their normal position, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

16. In a cash-register, the combination, with a series of movableregistering-keys, of a series of movable key-locks adapted toautomatically move into locking position when allowed to do so, and oneof which works in connection with each of said keys to lock and releasethe same, and a key-lock setter normally holding said key-locks out oftheir looking position, actuated by a connection with each of said keys,and adapted, when any key of the set has been substantially displacedfrom its normal position, to allow said key-locks to move into theirlocking position and thereby look all unused keys of the set,substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

17. In a cash-register, the combination, with a movable registering-key,of a serrated keylock which works in connection with saidregistering-key and with no other and allowing said key to move forwardin its course, but preventing its backward motion until its forwardmotion has been completed, and a keylock setter actuated by a connectionwith said key and adapted to move said key-lock and thereby allow saidkey to move back to its primary position when its forward motionhasbeencompleted,substantiallyasdescribed, and for the purposesspecified.

18. In a cash-register, the combination, with a series of pivotedregistering-keys, of a series of serrated key-locks, each adapted tomove into position to lock said keys when allowed to do so, a key-lockof said series' engaging with each of said registering-keys and with noother key and adapted to lock and release the same and to cause it tofully complete its forward motion when once begun, and a key-lock setternormally holding said key-locks out of their locking position andactuated by a connection with each of said registering-keys and adapted,when any key of the set has been substantially displaced from its normalposition, to allow said keylocks to look all unused keys of the set,substantially as described, and for the purposes specified.

19. In a cash-register, the combination, with a series ofregistering-keys and a series of registering-wheels actuated thereby, ofa series of movable key-locks, one key-lock working in connection witheach of said keys and with no other, a key-board extending across saidset of keys, a key-lock setter, and a keylock connection actuating saidkey-lock setter from said key-board, said key-lock setter being adaptedto allow said key-locks to look all unused keys of the set as soon asany key has been displaced from its normal position, and to force saidkey-locks out of their locking position upon the completion of theforward motion of said moving key, substantially as described, and forthe purposes specified.

20. The rocking key-lock having the looking serrations, and the handleadapted to ongage with a key-lock setter, substantially as described,and for the purposes specified.

21. The rocking key-lock having the locking-point, thelocking-serrations, and the handle adapted to engage with a key-locksetter, substantially as described, and for the purposes specified. 1

22. In a cash register and indicator, tne combination, wit-h anoperating-key, of a keyarrester supported at the rear of the machine andarranged when the key is partially operated to move inwardlongitudinally of the key toward its rear end and engage therewith tosupport it in its partially-operated position, if released, and to bedisengaged therefrom when the key has been fully operated, substantiallyas and for the purpose specified.

23. In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with anoperating-key, of a keyarrester pivoted 011 an axis extendingtransversely ot the key and arranged when the key is partially operatedto engage the same and support it in its partially operated position, ifreleased, substantially as and for the pun pose described.

24. In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with anopei'atingkey, of a keyarrester supported on a pivot transversely of thekey and arranged, when the key is partially operated, to engage the sameto support it in its partially-operated position,if released, and to bedisengaged therefrom when the key has been fully operated, substantiallyas and for the purpose specified.

CHARLES EDGAR LORD. \Vitnesses:

A. II. SANBORN, O. H. Frsnnn.

